1. Field of the Invention
Generally, the present disclosure relates to the manufacture of sophisticated semiconductor devices, and, more specifically, to various methods and structures for a novel one-time-only programmable read-only memory (OTPROM) that provides for post-process programming using selective breakdown of dielectric.
2. Description of the Related Art
The technology explosion in the manufacturing industry has resulted in many new and innovative manufacturing processes. Today's manufacturing processes, particularly semiconductor manufacturing processes, call for a large number of important steps. These process steps are usually vital, and therefore, require a number of inputs that are generally fine-tuned to maintain proper manufacturing control.
The manufacture of semiconductor devices requires a number of discrete process steps to create a packaged semiconductor device from raw semiconductor material. The various processes, from the initial growth of the semiconductor material, the slicing of the semiconductor crystal into individual wafers, the fabrication stages (etching, doping, ion implanting, or the like), to the packaging and final testing of the completed device, are so different from one another and specialized that the processes may be performed in different manufacturing locations that contain different control schemes.
Generally, a set of processing steps is performed on a group of semiconductor wafers, sometimes referred to as a lot, using semiconductor-manufacturing tools, such as exposure tool or a stepper. As an example, an etch process may be performed on the semiconductor wafers to shape objects on the semiconductor wafer, such as polysilicon lines, each of which may function as a gate electrode for a transistor. As another example, a plurality of metal lines, e.g., aluminum or copper, may be formed that serve as conductive lines that connect one conductive region on the semiconductor wafer to another.
In this manner, integrated circuit chips may be fabricated. In some cases, integrated circuit or chips may comprise various devices that work together based upon a hard-coded program. For example, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chips may use a hard-coded program for various operations, e.g., boot up and configuration processes. The program code, in the form of binary data, is hard-coded into the integrated circuit chips.
Turning now to FIG. 1, a flowchart depiction of a prior art process of hard-code programming of an integrated circuit device is illustrated. An integrated circuit device is fabricated up to a layer below the programming layer (block 110). The programming layer includes transistors that are configured to hold bits of data for hard-coding or hard-wiring a program code. At this point, processing of the integrated circuit is suspended until the program code for performing the hard-coding is received (block 120). Frequently, a semiconductor device manufacturer has to suspend processing operations until a customer or a third party provides the program code. This protocol may cause delays in the processing operation. Often, process operations are significantly delayed at timeline 125, wherein process operations are paused until program code for hard-coding a program into the integrated circuit device is received.
Once the program code is received, which is in the form of binary data, it is hard-coded in the programming layer (block 130). Subsequently, the manufacturing process is continued for fabricating the remaining layers over the programming layers (block 140). Upon completion, the tape-out results are provided (block 150).
One problem associated with the prior art includes a delay in time-to-market cause by the pause when waiting for the program code. The processing of the integrated circuit device is interrupted by this pause. In some cases, completing processing of the device may take months due to this interruption.
Moreover, using state of the art methodology, different fabrication processes have to be performed for different customers of the integrated circuit device. This separation is required because of the programming step, which is an intervening step during the overall fabrication process of the integrated circuit device. That is, similar fabrication processes are performed separately for different customers because each customer may provide a different program code for hardwire programming. This may result in further inefficiencies. Further, since different customers or third parties provide program code at different times, uniformity in process steps may be difficult to attain. This may cause inefficiencies and higher costs in manufacturing semiconductor devices.
The present disclosure may address and/or at least reduce one or more of the problems identified above.